Antique Sultanabad Carpet

Object Description

A wonderful open floral design on this late 19th century antique Sultanabad carpet.  Gorgeous saturated dyes of green, yellow and pale blues make up the floral motifs, with a rustic brick red background colour.  The border is a variation of deep blues, almost turning to black in places as we have lots of ‘abrash’ which is the term for dye change.  This is apparent on carpets from the 1800’s and a great amount of their charm and character.

Acquired from a private collection it has been used in a vast drawing room for many many years.  Request a home visit from us and we shall happily bring this carpet to your home, we have travelled throughout the UK visiting designers and private customers since 1990.

Object History

In 1883, Ziegler and Co, of Manchester, England established a Persian carpet manufacture in Sultanabad Persia, which employed designers from major western department stores such as B. Altman & Co of New York and  Liberty, to modify 16th- and 17th-century Eastern designs for the more restrained western taste. Using highly developed dying techniques, and the best artisans from the region, the Ziegler Co created rugs with bold, all-over patterns  and with softer palettes than their vibrant Persian counterparts.

Ziegler rugs developed an almost immediate following, especially among early collectors included the Guinness family, who laid them in Elveden Hall, their  Suffolk estate. Ziegler carpets are one of the only types of Persian carpet which were influenced by western designs and have become one of the most sought after types of carpet.

We offer the service of viewing any of our carpets & rugs in-situ in London, Surrey, Hampshire the UK & Europe by appointment. Please contact us to arrange a convenient time to see it in our showroom or in your own home.

Object Literature

Sultanabad carpets are very important in the history of weaving as Sultanabad was formally known as Arak which was once the capital of Persia in the 1800’s. Famous carpets such as Ziegler were woven in Sultanabad by the company Ziegler & Co which produced open large floral designs for western tastes and thrived in the late 19th century exporting these carpets to the US and Europe.

Object Condition

In general it is in good order, with scattered areas of wear, nothing hugely significant and the strength of the carpet is very good. No large repairs or damage, just minimal wear expected with age and use.

Object Details